Be a Volunteer and Gain the Competitive Edge
Personal and Professional Benefits from Voluntary Work
Mar 25, 2009
Voluntary work is becoming a common form of work experience. Job seekers may volunteer for altruistic reasons or they may take it on as part of a strategic career plan to get a foot in the job market door.
Boost Self Esteem
Philanthropic activity gives you a rewarding sense of purpose through an outward focus instead of being disheartened and feeling depressed. It brings a variety of new challenges and the concomitant learning of new skills and sharing of new experiences can give you the confidence and resilience to face obstacles in other areas of your life. It is also good psychologically as you maintain a certain sense of routine in your daily life.
Improve Your Health
There is evidence how giving your time to a worthy cause can improve your well-being. Allan Luks in his book The Healing Power of Doing Good [iUniverse, 2001] details how a person’s physical condition as well as emotional health is improved through helping others. This feeling of a “helper’s high” is due to the release of endorphins in the brain and is akin to that which runners experience after a long run.
Network and Make Contacts
An oft cited U.S. Department of Labor study reveals that only about 5 percent of job seekers obtain jobs through the open job market compared to almost half (48 percent) who secure their jobs through referrals or “word of mouth.” Job referrals come about through networking, and voluntary work is an excellent avenue through which you can meet new people from all walks of life and build contacts to guide your career pathway.
Learn Transferable Skills
As well as equipping you with "soft skills" and developing your character, structured volunteering helps develop your workplace skills such as teamwork, communication and logical analysis through its range of activities. From writing newsletters to raising funds and running events to managing data, being involved in charitable work is a great way to learn transferable skills and broaden your competency base.
Impress Employers
It is good for employers to know that you are not just sitting at home waiting for things to happen, but that you have gone out to do something constructive. It is certainly a good conversation starter and fascinating central topic at job interviews, the perfect opportunity to impress recruiters with your experiences and reveal your strengths and drive.
Professional Positions
Voluntary work is not necessarily confined to manual labour or low skilled disciplines. Experienced managers can find positions similar to those they undertake in their paid jobs. Professional services, such as project management, accounting and financial consultancy are equally in demand by charities and not-for-profit organisations. Thus, a stint of pro bono work not only keeps you active and in contribution, but also looks good on your resume or CV.
While qualifications and certifications are still very important in securing a job, voluntary work can help you gain the experience, skills and contacts that you will need. And it brings you the additional benefits of increased self esteem and improved health.
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